FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a conventional coaxial connector for connecting to a cable 6 (U.S. Pat. No. 7,485,000 B2). As shown, the conventional coaxial connector includes a terminal 7, an insulating housing 8, and a shell 9. The cable 6 includes a core wire 61, an insulating layer 62, a braided shield 63, and a jacket 64. The terminal 7 includes a carrier plate 71, two contacts 72, two clamping members 73, and two insertion members 74. The insulating housing 8 includes a receiving space 81, two holding holes 82, a pressing plate 83, two retaining slots 84, and a notch 85. The shell 9 includes a socket portion 91, two protruded blocks 92, two retaining hooks 93, and a cover portion 94. FIGS. 2 to 8 illustrate the assembling of the above-described components to one another to form the conventional coaxial connector. Please refer to FIG. 1 along with FIGS. 2 to 8. The clamping members 73 of the terminal 7 pierce into the insulating layer 62 of the cable 6 when the latter is forced into between the clamping members 73, so that the core wire 61 of the cable 6 is electrically connected to the clamping members 73 of the terminal 7. Then, the terminal 7 with the cable 6 assembled thereto is positioned in the receiving space 81 of the insulating housing 8 with the insertion members 74 extended into the holding holes 82. The insulating housing 8 with the terminal 7 and the cable 6 assembled thereto is then fitted in the socket portion 91 of the shell 9, such that the protruded blocks 92 are engaged with the retaining slots 84 and the retaining hooks 93 hold the insulating housing 8 in the socket portion 91. Finally, bend the cover portion 94 toward the socket portion 91 to press the pressing plate 83 against the insulating layer 62 of the cable 6 and complete the conventional coaxial connector.
The conventional coaxial connector with the above described structure has at least the following disadvantages:
(1) The core wire 61 of the cable 6 is electrically connected to the clamping members 73 of the terminal 7 by piercing the insulating layer 62 of the cable 6 with the clamping members 73. This type of connection does not ensure stable electrical contact of the terminal 7 with the core wire 61 of the cable 6, and is subject to the risk of instantaneous power interruption.
(2) The insulating layer 62 of the cable 6 serves as a pilot when the terminal 7 is electrically connected to the core wire 61 of the cable by piercing through the insulating layer 62. Therefore, it is time consuming and difficult to accurately position the insulating layer 62 of the cable 6 in between the clamping members 73 of the terminal 7.
(3) As can be seen from FIG. 7, when the contacts 72 deviate from their original positions, it is unable to correspondingly correct the relative position of an external round-shaped conductor 5 inserted in between the contacts 72. Further, the coaxial connector has largely reduced electrical signal transmission effect because there are only two contacting points between the external round-shaped conductor 5 and the contacts 72, which fails to ensure good electrical contact between the conductor 5 and the terminal 7.
(4) The contacts 72 and the clamping members 73 are oriented toward different directions, and the terminal 7 is held in place by inserting the insertion members 74 on the carrier plate 71 into the holding holes 82 in the receiving space 81. Since the terminal 7 is too small to be easily and accurately positioned in the insulating housing 8, it is possible the terminal 7 becomes separated from the insulating housing 8 later. Since the contacts and the clamping members 73 are oriented toward different directions, the clamping members 73 of the terminal 7 and the cable 6 assembled thereto will protrude from an outer side of the carrier plate 71 when the contacts 72 are received in the insulating housing 8. The protruded clamping members 73 and cable 6 result in increased assembly height of the terminal 7, preventing the terminal 7 and the cable 6 from being completely received in the insulating housing 8.
(5) A tool is needed for pushing the insulating housing 8 into the socket portion 91 of the shell 9, and the protruded blocks 92 in the socket portion 91 move upward from a bottom of the retaining slots 84 when the insulating housing 8 is fitted into the socket portion 91. The protruded blocks 92 form a resistance to the movement of the insulating housing 8 into the socket portion 91 and tend to scratch the insulating housing 8 to produce scraps, which fall into the receiving space 81 of the insulating housing 8 to adversely affect the electrical property of the assembled coaxial connector.
Under these circumstances, it is desirable to work out a coaxial connector that can be easily assembled to have reduced assembly height and firm structure, and ensures good electrical contact with an external conductor to provide excellent electrical signal transmission effect.
In view of the disadvantages in the conventional coaxial connector, the inventor has developed an improved coaxial connector that can be easily and securely assembled to ensure low assembly height, good electric contact and excellent electrical signal transmission effect.